A Russian court has sentenced a software engineer from Novosibirsk to 25 years in prison for attempting to set fire to a military recruitment office. The engineer, Ilya Baburin, was detained in September 2022 and charged with terrorism after setting fire to a music school and allegedly planning to burn down the recruitment office. Authorities accused him of taking orders from Ukraine’s Azov Regiment. Additional charges of treason and terrorism were later pressed against Baburin, leading to the court’s decision to sentence him to 25 years in prison.
The Second Eastern Military Garrison Court found Baburin guilty and decided to “partly add up” his sentence to 25 years, as reported by the state-run TASS news agency. Prosecutors had asked for a record-setting 26 years in prison for Baburin. In his closing remarks, Baburin criticized the case against him as “absurd” and argued that he should have been tried for hooliganism rather than terrorism and treason. He also alleged that law enforcement authorities physically abused him during his pre-trial detention. Despite initially signing a plea deal, Baburin later rejected it and denied the charges brought against him.
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The case of Ilya Baburin highlights the challenges faced by individuals who are accused of terrorism and treason in Russia. Baburin’s denial of the charges, along with allegations of physical abuse by law enforcement authorities, raises concerns about due process and the protection of human rights in the country. The severity of Baburin’s sentence, along with the prosecutor’s request for a record-setting prison term, points to the seriousness with which such cases are viewed by the Russian legal system.
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